Welcome to the Jungle…

Tags

easy sewing projects, fabrics, ITY Knit, jungle january, Maxi dress, sew, sew exhausted, sewing, Simplicity 1623

Whew- Talk about cutting it close! I had high hopes to have this finished earlier in the month and a second make as well but my month did not turn out that way. I have been sewing, but it has been “stuff” for everyone else! Currently I am working on four flower girl dresses! But I did squuueeeeeeeze in this little number for ME for Jungle January! I could not miss joining Ms. Anne on her annual trek in to the fantastic, crazy, deep and mysterious jungle.

Simplicity 1623

I had this beautious piece of ITY Jersey Knit that I purchased from Fabric Mart. I had already decided that using it for a full on maxi dress could possibly be a little too much for me and my demure nature 😉 so decided to use it just for the bodice. I had Simplicity 1623 floating around and loved the MAXI dress. I ALMOST used a solid black knit for the skirt but upon reading the entire fabric recommendations realized the skirt was not a knit so I went out and bought some black challis from JoAnns with my trusty 50% off coupon. I briefly considered making that fabulous off the shoulder sleeve but thought it would be too much with that wild print!

Simplicity 1623

It took my 3-4 hours to make this dress- and most of that time was spent on the bodice! I did not do a “muslin” and I confess there are a few minor fit issues. But nothing that will prevent me from wearing it!

First off, I did not want to miss out on using the cheetah border print so I cut my sleeves against the grain. This made them a leeeetle snug in the arm because there was not as much give. I should have cut them a tad larger! (Or used a smaller seam allowance) But I LOVE the sleeves and am glad I did it.

Simplicity 1623

I also have a very small amount of bunching around the waist. I understand how to do a sway back adjustment on a “normal” bodice but this pattern needed it on the skirt pieces. My mind could not grasp HOW to do it. Anyone know of a good tutorial?It is difficult to see it because the skirt is black but I promise it’s there. Maybe it will disappear when I lose another 5-10 pounds?

Another thought I had was that I should have matched up my print a bit better on the front. There were so many shades of purple- from dark to practically white- and the bodice front was made up of 4 pieces. But I was reassured it looked good!

Simplicity 1623

I love a maxi. I have 5 of them now. I am considering cutting this dress shorter but am afraid. What if I don’t like it shorter?! But I am also afraid it won’t get much wear at this length. I mean seriously… where would I go in this? Hello Keanu Reeves- looking for a date any time soon?

Simplicity 1623

I for one am really sorry Jungle January is almost over and I will have to wait 11 more months to go on another trek! I have so enjoyed looking at all the makes, meeting new bloggers along the way, and being led through the jungle by our fearless tour guide. I gotta say it has been a fabulous journey! But I also understand I don’t have to refrain from using animal prints the other 11 months of the year. There are SO many awesome prints to be found right now!

~Laurie xox

~Working on flower girl dresses

~Listening to “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns & Roses (because it seemed appropriate!)

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Top 5 Misses of 2013

Tags

easy sewing projects, fabric, fabrics, patterns, sew, sew exhausted, sewing

As I look back at the things I made in 2013 I find there are sadly some items that are definitely never worn. Initially I may have thought I liked them but when you don’t ever choose to remove them from the hangar and put them on your body it must mean something.

I think in the beginning of the year, when I actually made MYSELF something, I got so excited I just started making random things without really thinking about what I was making. I am still not sure why! I chose a few simple items so I could whip them up. Now don’t get me wrong! There is nothing wrong with simple and I totally LOVE the 2 simple Renfrews I finished in December of this year. But I made some things I NEVER wear… and that means they are misses in my book.

1. This skirt is a 90’s pattern- Vogue xxxx. I like the fabric- a nicely flowing challis. I like the length and I like the cut. What I don’t like is the side gathering on the yoke. I don’t even know WHAT I was thinking! I could have left the side gathering off and with MY hippy hips and thighs I did NOT need any gathering in that area. I have considered taking it apart and redoing it but I just don’t think I have the energy! I have NEVER worn this skirt…

2. I like my “David Bowie China Girl” shirt but I never wear it. I like the print but I don’t like that it is a quilting cotton. I do not like the way it feels and I do not like the fact that I feel decidedly plump in the shirt. Yes, I am decidedly plump but I don’t want to feel that way. I think if the shirt had been 2 inches longer it would have worked better. I would still like to make this top and wear it. But I want a chinese looking print in a knit and I want to lengthen it. (can’t find the perfect fabric tho. 😦 ) So this may end up as a refashion. Maybe a tote bag cuz like I said I DO like the fabric… just not on my body!

3. I really wanted a great costume to wear to Carnivale this year. But from the beginning things went wrong. I had an idea and theme in my head but when I went shopping I was having no luck finding that “idea.” Mainly the color I wanted was no where to be found. So I compromised what was in my head and some how I ended up with this green and brown. I don’t EVER wear brown. EVER… NEVER…It was a very lovely brown brocade but not for me. And the top besides being pretty cool? You can see my bra straps! I wore this to the Carnivale celebration at my favorite brewery but I was uncomfortable. Thankfully I had a mask on. This year I am making a red and black steampunk inspired dress… hopefully.

4. There is nothing wrong with this dress and I like it. But I never wear it. Oddly enough I have not worn a dress that shows my legs in years. I don’t know why. I am pretty sure I used to but somewhere along the way I drifted away from them and now when I think about wearing one I think my legs look weird. So I wear maxi skirts and dresses and slacks and jeans. And that’s it. I am pretty sure my kids have never seen me in a pair of shorts. (I really do not want to frighten them!) I am going to hold on to this dress because like I said I DO like it. I am hoping in 2014 I can get past this weird fear I have of showing my legs and wear it a few times.

5. I hate this shirt. I like the fabric- it is a sweater knit. BUT the cut of this top frankly sucks on my body. It does NOTHING for me! And I thought when I initially made it that I loved it and made 2 more- a dressy black and blue one and a white eyelet one. I have not worn either of those. EVER. I have worn the one below because despite the fact I feel like a dumpling in it it’s quite comfortable. Sighhh… I am probably never going to wear it again though.

And those are my TOP 5 misses. Thankfully I feel like I have learned a lot from my hits and misses. I realize it is like when I used to go shopping for clothes. You know how you just really want to buy those super cute things you know you normally don’t look good in because of the cut or color? So you grab a TON of those items and styles and go and try them all on. And realize when you look in the mirror you were right. No matter how cute they may look on someone else they don’t look good on you. So you drift back to colors and styles that do. That is sort of what I did with my sewing this year. I made some things I HOPED looked good on me despite the fact I had a feeling they wouldn’t. For 2014 I am going back to what I know works with me and my shape. And I am sticking to it!

Laurie xo

Top 5 Hits of 2013

Tags

Anna Dress, By Hand London, daughters, easy sewing projects, fabric, fabrics, patterns, sew, sew exhausted, sewing, Top 5 Hits of 2013

I have had a crazy few weeks! From Thanksgiving on I feel like I have been a busy girl! Which means I was very lacking in the sewing department. I only managed a few handmade gifts. I guess I need to start sooner! I did make a second Renfrew though. A 3/4 sleeve cowl necked one I wore to work and out for our Company Christmas party. (no pics yet!)

Then more craziness. I decided to do all of my shopping at night after the party and because the girls were actually still up I left everything in the car. Someone broke in and stole it all, including my coat and phone charger! 😦 Don’t leave things in cars! Not even in your own driveway!

Last Friday I went to Boise to see the Potato Bowl game with my brother and drink craft beer at 8 different breweries. (LOTS of fun) And then Christmas week my brother came here to San Diego where we enjoyed 75-80 degree weather and 11 more breweries.

I am back to “business as usual” now and thought I would attempt to post some of the Top Five of 2013 Gillian started so we could look back and look forward!

1. I made this dress for Holly, my middle daughter from vintage Simplicity 4432 for Fall for Cotton in September. I love the bright contemporary fabric in the full skirted dress (that I shortened a bit) and Holly loves it too. Wherever she wears it she gets compliments.

2. The By Hand London Anna Dress With a Twist. I made 3 of these this year, all in knit. And I have worn them all more than once. I love them. They are comfortable, flattering and the solid black one I made I dressed up last minute to wear to a Christmas party. They can be casual and dressy! This one is my blocked one because I was short on fabric! I wore it for my birthday lunch. 🙂

3. Simplicity 2250- The Millenium Falcon dress. I made this for Juliette. She loves it and she wears it which was quite a feat. Great fit, pretty fabric, and fully lined. 🙂4. Jungle January robe and PJ’s. Animal print meets silky satin.I felt very decadent in these!

5. Hip Hop Pants. I have made many pairs of these. They started out for my eldest daughter Kadi who is a Hip Hop teacher/ choreographer/ dancer. She asked me to make her a cool pair of “harem” style pants so I did. And then she wanted 10 more pairs. And then people wanted to buy them. So I have just listed a few pairs on Etsy. I love them because they are pretty simple and look pretty darn cool if I do say so myself! Kadi does not wear them just for dance. She dresses them up with a pair of strappy heels and wears them out!

And that is my Top 5… I looked back and found I did not have that much to choose from and hope that in 2014 I will do better!

Laurie  xox

By Hand London- Anna #2- With a Twist!

Tags

Anna Dress, By Hand London, clothing, easy sewing projects, fashion, Jersey Anna dress, patterns, sew exhausted, sewing

My class reunion was last Saturday and I decided the day before I would make something new. I was digging around in my garage looking for something that would strike my fancy and I stumbled on a black and white ITY jersey I had been hoarding. Hmmm… black and white (my 2 fave colors when I am sewing) and ITY jersey will make the perfect dress so in the washer it went.

After making my first By Hand London dress a month or so back I knew I would be revisiting the pattern several more times. When I found the black and white jersey out in my stash, the Anna pattern came out again to grace my cutting table! I cut the bodice (using the same bodice pieces I ended up with after my first foray in to Anna making) and then laid out the skirt. I knew I would be making the long version again because there is something about a MAXI I love! I wear them often, definitely more than I wear a “regular length” dress. And a MAXI with a thigh high split seemed like a perfect thing to wear to a reunion on the beach.

Trying to SQUEEZE on the pattern pieces… But no joy

But HORRORS!! I was 6 inches short! SIX inches! No matter how hard I tried there was NO way I had enough fabric to make the long version and I did not want to make the shorter version… OH, what was I going to do? I posted on Twitter and Laura H. said to add a band but in my head I kept thinking a black band at the hem would cause too much weight and ruin the line of the dress especially since this was a JERSEY KNIT. I posted on Instagram and Rachel of House of Pinheiro suggested putting the band up at the top of the skirt. SALVATION!

I am thinking it turned out pretty great! I removed 7 inches from the top of each of the skirt pieces (added seam allowances), and cut it out in a solid black. Oh happy day! I was so pleased with the finished dress I wore it again on Sunday when I was taken out to The Yellow Deli for my birthday.

Because I was adding a black block to the skirt I decided to add black bands to the end of each sleeve. I really like the look it gave it. I was tempted to do the boatneck but I am ever so fond of V-necks that I again went with the V. I love the V and think with this dress it looks right.

I mentioned earlier that this dress was made from a jersey print like my first one. This is not the recommended fabric but with some pattern adjustments it works. I actually LOVE it in the jersey. It really is comfortable and easy to wear. This one has a thigh high split although I don’t seem to be showing off enough leg in any of my photos.

Using a jersey knit means I did not have to put in a zipper. 😀 Not the most flattering shot of my backside but oh well…

The ANNA is a very easy dress and I highly recommend it. The skirt pieces can get a little confusing- I confess with my first one I had to remove one of the sections because I had put it on the wrong way- but this time I pinned little scraps of paper with the corresponding pattern piece letter and laid them out properly on my floor before sewing them together.

The color blocking is awesome also if I do say so myself. If I had not cut out the bodice I think I would have put it directly under the bust darts in more the waist area- but that can be an experiment for next time! 😀

For my birthday we ate at The Yellow Deli. It is the most adorable little restaurant. It reminds me of the Swiss Family Robinson tree house with a curved stairwell and all kinds of nooks and cranny’s where they have tables tucked away. Or you can sit on one of the many balconies or patios. They have a pretty basic menu but the best thing is everything they use is organically grown on their own little farm. The people work the farm and run the restaurant and live together in a commune. Definitely has overtones of the 60’s but I kind of like the concept!

The Yellow Deli

It’s a great little place to go to for lunch! My girls and I definitely enjoyed ourselves.

Me and my girlies…

And that is Anna #2… I am thinking about making a tropical print one next. But Fall has arrived… I live in California though so maybe I can squeeze a fun tropical dress in to my fall sewing. I may even go really nuts and make it out of a cotton or challis like I am supposed to!

If you haven’t entered the SewExhausted giveway be sure and do so before Thursday night the 10th!

At The Yellow Deli in Escondido.

Cool! A Giveaway!

Tags

blogging, easy sewing projects, fabrics, fashion, Giveaway, patterns, projects, sewing, vintage patterns

I have so many things to celebrate this month.. A year of it being just me… a year of blogging… a year of getting back to sewing and finding that sewing is definitely MY thing… a year of finding more of myself… a year of creating and getting excited about something again… a year of making new friends… and dang I could keep going but I will stop there!

I told myself when SewExhausted hit 10,000 views we would have a giveaway. Well, that time has come and here I am with even more to celebrate! And actually in the last week or 2 we have shot well over the 10K mark so I am lagging! But it seemed like a perfect month for it to land. We started the blog 3 years ago but it was pretty much ignored for 2 of those years. Last October though we got going “for reals.” And here we are! 🙂

FIRST.. THANK YOU to everyone who has ever read one of Sew Exhausted’s posts. I could not have this giveaway with out you! I truly enjoy writing and sewing, and being able to share what I create is just pretty darn cool. (This is where I thank the internet! lol)  Just being a part of the blogging world has been a joy. I LOVE to read blogs and see what you are making. I also get ideas and feel challenged to do better with my sewing when I read what you are up to, or cheer you on, or learn something new from you. Seeing you on Twitter, or Facebook, or Instagram makes my day! Joining in with you on various sew-alongs and challenges is great fun too. I finished TWO vintage dresses this last month because of you guys. 😀

Here is what I have for you. And if I could ask one thing it would make it all the grander. (I saw this recently on someone else’s blog for their anniversary giveaway and really liked it!) If you would like to be in the drawing, when you comment, please tell me one thing you like about my blog, and a suggestion on a way I could improve. (I know there is ALWAYS room for improvement!)

And now to the giveaways.

Giveaway #1- I have this fabric and pattern from Simplicity. 3 and 1/2 yards will do up ANY of these views in any of the sizes. (Just let me know which pattern size you want me to mail you if you are the winner!)

Giveaway #2 Three patterns in sizes 6-14. I love the flowy dress on the right. It would make a pretty spring dress or something pretty for a special occasion. The pattern with the skirts has some great options!

Giveaway #3 Three patterns in sizes 8-18. The middle one I have carried around for years but still never used it. I adore foofy skirts… but realize they just don’t look good on me. But I know they look fab on quite a few of you!

Giveaway #4 One yard of this plummy Marc Jacobs quilted suede. It is 60 wide so if you are in to vests it would make a GREAT one- or maybe a pencil skirt? It for sure will make a great suede bag. That is what I am doing with the other yard! You can use the pattern I included or use on of your choice if you are the winner!

Leave your comments and let me know which giveaways you like. If you want to be in for all 4 that’s good too! I will be drawing next week on the 11th so be sure to check back after that. I will also ship ANYWHERE.

OH- and another thing. Most bloggers I know love comments, and I am no exception to the rule. I get really excited when someone takes the time to leave an idea or suggestion, a compliment or an observation. I try to always respond. 🙂 To date I have 746 comments- of course half of those are mine but I really wanted to give one of my “comment makers” a gift as well. Those comments sure can make your day when you have posted something new whether it’s an epic fail or a fabulous success or even a cry for HELP.  🙂 My top commentor is Gjeometry! She has commented 38 times on my posts!

I’d also like to thank  SewingForFun  who comes in at 23 comments, Pretty Grievances  and my flicker sewing friend Shar who come in tied at 21 comments. Thank you so much ladies!

Whew… giving stuff away is fun and exhausting! And I have not even done the drawing yet!

Finally, I wanted to mention something else. For those of you that have been a reader for the last year you may wonder where Kerrielee (my sewing partner in crime and cousin) has been. You also know she is a momma to 5 kiddos 2-18 years old. Welllll… she and her hubby are in the process of adding #6 so she has been taking a break. I hope she isn’t too busy to come back, and I hope I will suffice for now!

xoxo Laurie

PS… I think I will do this EVERY October… it is MOST fun!

PPS. I have another Anna dress finished and an exciting new project. (Well, it is exciting to me anyway!) I will share soon!

Mrs. Teapot and an OOOPS… #FallForCotton

Tags

challenge, clothing, fabrics, Fall for Cotton, fashion, patterns, sew exhausted, Vintage, vintage dress, vintage patterns

I live on the West Coast, and it is 8:32 PM PDT. I figure I am good to go and will make the Fall For Cotton deadline. Right? I never thought about time differences and just knew I needed to be up by midnight- But midnight my time is good I hope!

I finished Holly’s vintage Fall For Cotton dress last week and you can read all about it here. Mine was next (although I squeezed in an Anna dress in between for my class reunion). My Fall For Cotton Vintage pattern came from Vintage Martini and I thought it was a great dress and would be suitable for me. It is Butterick 9499, and when I googled it, I got varying dates so am not certain. It is either late 1950’s or early 1960’s. Thoughts?

I went with a green cotton broadcloth, keeping in with the Fall For Cotton Challenge. I bought this a while back, and paid $1.99 a yard for it- which means this dress cost me about $10 bucks to make. 🙂

Cotton… I gotta say it needs same spray starch and a better pressing than I was able to give it. The dress was ready yesterday, but I had noone to take pics! Hence the barely made deadline!

When I came out in all my glory yesterday my youngest told me I looked like Mrs. Teapot. My eldest told me I looked like the lady who had a bunch of stuff in her suitcase. Ahhh, children! I let them BOTH know I felt like Beavers mother. (And I received blank stares) 🙂

I like the dress for the most part. The cuffs are fantastic… I covered my own buttons for both cuffs. The 2 buttons on the bodice came from my button jar. The belt is dreadful. I am going to make my own belt and make a few changes to the dress. I love the dress but I am not sure the pleated skirt is flattering to my shape. I am thinking about removing the skirt and making it an a-line skirt. I love the bodice and the collar though. And I really like the shade of green. 😀

I do have to confess to an “ooops.” I did not notice it until I was buttoning up the cuffs for picture time! I put one of the cuffs on backwards! Not sure where my head was at that moment but I guess I will have to remove it and see if I can fix it. I may have to make a whole new cuff though!

And this is my Fall For Cotton/ Mrs. Teapot/ Vintage dress. Should I change the skirt out to an a-line? And do you use spray starch to iron your 100% cotton dresses?

OH! By the way, this dress also takes care of one of my Sewlutions from Jan 1, 2013. I wanted to make 2 vintage dresses for myself in 2013… WHEW!

~Laurie

#FallForCotton – A Vintage Dress and a Classic Car Show…

Tags

100% cotton, daughters, Fall for Cotton, patterns, sew exhausted, sewing, Simplicity 4432, Vintage, vintage dress, vintage pattern, vintage patterns, vintage sewing

When the Fall For Cotton Vintage pattern challenge was announced a while back I hopped on board for 3 reasons.

#1- I love vintage patterns and have a ton! (And if you have a ton you should use them if you can!)

#2- I love cotton. It is simple, feels nice, and comes in all kinds of prints, colors and designs.

#3- I LOVE sewing with the sewing community! It’s like an international sewing bee where we get to support and be supported!

And I also decided 2 things. I was going to make a dress for Holly out of a vintage pattern that has been at the top of the stack for ages now… And I was going to make myself one too… Because “The Mistress Demands” that I do. Wellll, actually I made a sewlution (New Years Sewing Resolution) back in January and it involved TWO vintage dresses and a coat. To my chagrin I am not even close to completing that and this year SPED by so fast I am still trying to catch up! I must say though that the “Keeper of the Jar” is a hard taskmaster when you have not started what should have been started. We were chastised just this past week. But I will persevere regardless of the fact I only have 100 days left. (Hey, that actually isn’t too bad!)

But for now, here is a really LOVELY dress if I do say so myself for my middle daughter Holly. I couldn’t resist turning this picture in to a vintage pic!

Holly is 18 years old and just graduated from high school. She is attending the Junior college in our area and is majoring in Theater Arts. She is also taking sign language. She would like to be a high school teacher down the road and teach drama and sign and maybe have a community theater on the side. (Unless she makes it BIG in the acting world and in that case she will buy me the BEST sewing machine there is to buy!)

For this dress I used a vintage pattern in keeping with the Fall for Cotton Challenge. We were able to choose a pattern or look from the 20’s to 70’s. From what I could glean on the internet (and correct me if I am wrong) this pattern is from the early 60’s. It is Simplicity pattern #4432.

I used 100% cotton of course! It was a piece of fabric I fell in love with on my recent trip to Oregon. It was on the clearance table and another 50% off so I paid a total of $9 for the whole piece! As soon as I saw it I KNEW it was going to be this dress and it was going to be for Holly. 🙂

The inside is fully lined with a white cotton. It actually started out as a light weight car cover my grandma gave to my mom, and my mom was going to get rid of. It was so soft I said NO! I can use that cotton fabric for lining! And I did!

To take the pictures I took Holly to “Cruisin’ Grand.” In our town, every Friday night from April through September the old classic cars gather up and down the street, musicians come out, and people come to look at the cars, eat, and have a fun friday night. I knew it would make a perfect backdrop for Holly’s classic dress!

Isn’t Holly a doll? Haha… She totally got in to the fun of it. While we were taking pictures a woman came up to me and said Holly looks so girly and feminine and pretty! She said it was so nice to see a young person dressed like that and she thanked us for for bringing back great memories of when she used to have dresses just like that! 🙂

As you can see we had tons of fun modeling with all of the cool cars from all different eras. (ha! 20’s to 70’s are allowed! Just like our challenge!)

The dress was very simple. It did not call for lining but I wanted to fully line it so she didn’t have to go looking for a slip every time she wanted to wear it. The skirt is very full and spins! Always a good thing in a skirt! 🙂

This car is from 1963-  probably around the same year as the dress I made!

I will be starting on a Fall For Cotton dress for myself on Monday. I have a pretty dark solid green cotton. Fingers crossed I get it finished in time! This Friday night will be the last Cruisin’ Grand for the summer. Maybe I will take my pics amongst the classic cars as well! In the meantime I will leave you with some more pics of Holly and Grand Avenue on a summer night!

~Laurie

Vintage Pattern Loveliness

Tags

dress, easy sewing projects, fabric, Fall for Cotton, patterns, sew exhausted, sewing, sewing vintage clothing, Vintage, vintage dress, vintage patterns, vintage sewing patterns

I LOVE Vintage… There is something about certain bygone eras that speak to my soul. The 1920’s, after World War 1, when everything seemed to change. From music, to dancing, to the fashions! Everything seemed so “relaxed” and fun in the 20’s. Like “Darling, throw on your dancing shoes and long beads and lets go kick up our heels and dance the Charleston!” And did you know that “flagpole sitting” became popular in the 20’s?

The 40’s and 50’s are the years I am drawn to the most. I love how feminine and classy the women were during these years. If you look at any movie star pictures from this time period you see glamour and style. I love the full skirts, the fabulous bright colors that became popular in the 50’s, and did you know this decade brought about the evolution of the bikini! (Although it did not become popular until 1963- but that’s a different story!)

The 60’s and 70’s brought about a much freer and easier feeling. Short skirts, gogo boots, bikinis, and later in the decade (and on in to the 70’s) the hippie movement introduced bell bottoms, batik and tye-dye, and a decidedly more “bohemian” look. I really like that look as well. There is something about those long flowy dresses and drippy sleeves!

That was actually a pretty brief overview of fashion. VERY BRIEF! There is SO much more about fashion and trends that happened during these eras, but if I discussed them all I would not get to share my pattern loveliness with you! So, here it goes. 🙂

I have lots of vintage sewing patterns. Way too many to put into a post. So, I pulled what I would like to make over the next year. (And with my Sewing ADD- which I KNOW is an actual malady, the patterns in my queue can and probably will change)

I recently picked up 8 new patterns from Vintage Martini for EXCELLENT prices. If you like Vintage patterns you NEED to get over there as he has marked ALL of his prices down. I snagged a few 60’s patterns for $1 each!

The 2 on your left are from VM… the other 2 are mine. But I’d really like to make these for my middle daughter Holly. She would look GREAT in them and enjoys this era.

I have to make several more “jammies” for myself before the year is over as it was one of my resolutions. I really like this nightie, the short sleeved one on the left- and am hoping to make it in a soft lace and cotton lawn.

This dress is a 1940’s pattern. I love the clean lines and the detailing. I actually had a dress very similar to this in the 80’s in emerald green with gold buttons. I would love to try my hand at making this in those same colors.

This little 50’s pattern is one I will hopefully make for next Spring/ Summer. I love everything about it and every article of clothing pictured. The blouse, skirt and shorts are all on my list! They just want me to make a picnic lunch, lay my quilt out on the grass, pour myself a glass of lemonade and relax under a tree with a good book. I see gingham and florals and red or blue in my future!

Here is some more vintage loveliness… and another dress pattern I would like to tackle for next Spring. I love the tiered skirt and simplicity of the bodice. This one will take some grading up but I plan on attempting SewBrooke’s method. If you have not read about her experimenting with grading and ratios you should definitely hop over. You will learn a lot!

And this is my all time FAVORITE pattern that I just received (again from Vintage Martini and for just $6!) I want to make it NOW and will most likely use this one for the new just announced Vintage sewing challenge “Fall for Cotton” put on by Rochelle from Lucky Lucille and Tasha of By Gum By Golly.

I hope I can find the RIGHT fabric to go with it. That is always part of the challenge when sewing up a vintage garment- well, any garment for that matter! Because the challenge is to use 100% cotton, I should have quite a bit too choose from! There are cotton sales all over right now! (Fabric.com has quite a selection for $4.95 a yard!)

I guess I will get back to finishing up my UFO’s so I can start sewing some of these babies up. Hopefully I will see you soon with some finished lovelies!

~Laurie

My Anna that Broke the Rules…

Tags

Anna Dress, Anna Pattern, By Hand London, dress, fabric, ITY Knit, sew, sew exhausted, sewing

I made an Anna dress! And I couldn’t be happier. She is a bit of a rebel… but there is nothing wrong with that- after all, rules are made to be broken, right?

But let’s start at the beginning.

Recently the Anna dresses started popping up all over the internet. First I got a glimpse of ONE of Sew Busy Lizzy’s. (She has THREE fabulous ones) And then I read all about The Amazing Taracats two…  saw a few more here and there, and they looked so stylish and sexy and swingy- and, well, all the things you have to love in a dress! And I wanted one!

By Hand London Anna Dress Pattern

The Anna pattern is the newest from By Hand London. So my pattern winged it’s way across the ocean and arrived Thursday. It is BEAUTIFULLY packaged and definitely a pattern that is meant to be treasured.  I wanted to make one right away but I was not sure if I had any appropriate fabric in my stash. And I could not afford to buy any more fabric right now- so it was stash or nothing.

And that is where the rule breaking came in. The suggested fabrics for the Anna are lightweight woven fabrics and cottons. But, I have had this knit and it has been TRYING to make it’s way in to a Maxi for a few months. I have gone from one pattern, to another, to another, and decided on Saturday morning I was going to turn the Anna pattern in to a pattern for knits. She turned out mighty pretty in my opinion. 🙂

Look! I had help from Milo tracing and prepping the pattern

I tried to give Milo his own pencil but he seriously just wanted the one I was using!

I had to SQUEEZE this dress out of 3  yds of fabric.. And honestly, this knit cost me $9.00 total. In the end I had to cut off 6 1/2 inches in the length so if I had known that prior to starting I would not have had to worry at all.

I finished most of it Saturday morning before heading to the beach for a bonfire.  On her blog post Lizzy said it was a quick make and she was right! Then on Sunday my daughter asked me if I was going to wear it to my sons company picnic so I sat down and focused on finishing it up. I hand stitched the neck facing, used a double needle to hem up the sleeves, and ran out of time. I wanted to hand stitch the slit- (ooo- I LOVE the slit!) So, I did a quick basting stitch to temporarily hold it and will hand stitch it after I write this post!

I love the fit of the Anna… I love the way it swirls. When you wear it you feel very girly and feminine. Nothing wrong with that!

Like I said, putting this together is very easy. Just pay attention to when you are putting your skirt panels together. I got a little excited when the bodice was done and didn’t pay attention, so I “mis-sewed” one and had to switch it to the other side. I  did not put in a zipper- I did not need to because it is a knit. And I did not hem it because my machine does not like to hem knits, although my sleeves turned out nicely with the double needle. I also overlocked this one because #1 Kerrielee’s overlock machine was at my house for some hip hop pants making (thanks Kerrie), and #2 because I did not want to add any bulk from french seaming the knit.

The neckline is lovely. I chose the v-neck for this dress. Mine is a bit of a rounded V- I believe due to the fact it is a knit. But I like it anyway.  I did the obligatory spin and ended up on the ground. But trust me, Anna swirls quite nicely!

Did you notice my knee was a little red in that picture showing off my slit? That is because me and my Anna dress went on an adventure. At my son’s company picnic there was a mechanical MAD bull, and I thought I could tame it…. I realize these photos are DREADFUL, but I have become a much braver person so I will share them with you!

I lasted a whole 8 seconds. (That’s PRO status right??) BUT, I can now say I have ridden a bull… and I’ve lived to write about it. BTW- Anna held up quite well, and my children were VERY impressed that I even made it ON that bull. As a matter of fact they all now have blackmail videos on their phones.

Here we all are- having fun. I love it when my kids are all together. It makes my heart happy. ❤

And that is my Anna dress. 🙂 Very highly recommended! All my girls want one. Kadi is all set to run out and buy me some fabric for hers. She wants a black one- and because she likes to change everything, she wants me to add a lace cutout to the back of hers. Honestly, I can’t wait to get started on MY next one!

Oh, and I think I want to make a short red denim jacket to go with this one for when the weather gets a little chillier. 🙂

~Laurie

 

Those wild kids of mine showing me how it’s done.

Something’s missing…

Tags

clothing, minion blimp, Paleo, Paleo Diet, Paleo foods, patterns, project, sew, sew exhausted, sewing, Simplicity, Simplicity 2215, Vogue, Vogue 8577

Laurie here… again… finally… My week off was wonderful. How could a week off not be? I relaxed, I walked, I sewed, I hiked, I sewed, I went to the beach, I sewed, I watched Justified and Suits and the rest of my Fringe episodes, I sewed, I ate Paleo foods all week, and I sewed… 🙂 I did not want to return to work EVER! But alas, no one else will pay the bills so I HAD to go back to work.

Here is just a sampling of what I ate all week. I felt really good so I have actually continued eating like this. Paleo is EASY! Fruits and vegetables- preferably organic, and grain fed free range meats. It is also called “The Caveman” diet. I am finishing up week 4! (The tomatoes in the lower right are from my garden. 🙂 )

I invited Kerrielee over to sew and she showed up for several of those fun filled days. Hopefully she will blog her makes soon! I should NOT be blogging mine… because… well… they aren’t QUITE complete!! For some reason- after I completely finished the skirt- I never fully completed the items I was working on!

The first project I started on I actually completed. This great skirt (90’s era!) with a lovely challis. Oooo, I love challis. I love the way it flows and I really enjoy working with it. I like the skirt a lot. The gathering on the sides of the yoke though add a bit of fluffyness I could really do without. But I think I have a fix for that. I am looking for a solid purple to make a blouse and then I can throw a black sweater over it. I think the hardest thing will be finding that solid purple to match. Seems like whenever I want to match something it turns in to a difficult process.

The rest of my projects? I am not sure what came over me. I STOPPED before they were finished! Why? I would like to say I did not find the perfect buttons. (In actuality I didn’t find the buttons I had in my head BUT I did get buttons.) So the truth is, I had buttons to put on… but… well… they just have not made it yet!

I made this super great little blouse out of a piece of fabric from the oh so special Anne at Pretty Grievances. I used Simplicity 2215- a Cynthia Rowley design. (Kerrielee has made the dress for her daughter and it is CUTE!) This fabric is a chiffon type so I sprayed it with starch and ironed prior to cutting and sewing. It makes it so much easier and I highly recommend you do so when you struggle with slippery fabric! The below pic is closer to the actual color of the fabric. I really really like it- and I don’t normally wear pink! One thing though- gotta add the buttons so I can wear it!

So, I skipped the buttons and started making my coat. You remember the adorable coat pattern I mentioned in my last post that I got from Katie at Kadiddlehopper. Sigh… Also unfinished. I think that MAY because it is summer? Or, because I still have to find the right buttons? Or maybe I am just making excuses here and I was just “not in the mood?” But here it is in it’s unfinished glory…

I actually have the lining in now- and just need to hand stitch the sleeve lining in. Then add the buttons. Look at the BACK! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the back of this coat. It also has a “kick pleat” (not sure what you call it on a coat) that I have not un stitched yet…

I promise when I finish I will take GOOD pics on me- so you can see the pleat, the lilac lining, and the buttons I end up with. (You think I should go with black buttons or cover my own?) I want to wear this coat with a hat.. yep- my kids are gonna die but I am going to do it anyway. A cloche hat I think- like this only in black!

Two unfinished items! Only, ummm… I am not done yet. I am ALMOST finished with my Vogue 8577. Let me just say these pictures do not do it justice. It is a FABULOUS dress! It has LOADS of pattern pieces and I almost put them all back in the envelope but decided that was silly. I am on vacation! I have LOTS of time!

This dress is FULLY lined. That means it was like cutting out TWO dresses … and all those pattern pieces! I lined it with a red broadcloth. The “khaki” is a broadcloth as well with a touch of stretch. I can’t remember where I got it but it is perfect for this dress. (Other than the fact I will have to iron it!) This one gets RED buttons… and red shoes. 😀

All I could think of when I turned this wrong side out was if I had used RED as the facing the dress would have practically been reversible! What’s left to do? The armhole finishing and … the buttons. Sigh… Again, well, when I finish I will photograph it!

I made 2 simple knit dresses for Kerrielee’s daughter and my youngest. But they are not photographed. And I managed ANOTHER pair of hip hop pants for my eldest daughter. Overall it was a pretty decent sewing week.

I also went to the beach and kicked my feet up and read a good book… This is Moonlight Beach… And there was a dolphin pod frolicking around out there!

Saw the Minion Blimp…

Minion Blimp over Oceanside Pier

Early morning walk…

Overall, a fabulous week off… Now I need another so I can FINISH what I started!

xoxo

~Laurie